Green eighth grade band receives high honors

Thursday

Jan 2, 2014 at 11:15 AM

The Green Middle School band was recently honored by being asked to perform for the Ohio Band Conference at the University of Akron on Dec. 6.

BY Jim MeskoThe Suburbanite

The Green Middle School band was recently honored by being asked to perform for the Ohio Band Conference at the University of Akron on Dec. 6. The Green band was the only middle school band to be asked to perform there.

The invitation came about after band director Lisa Aglioti submitted a recording of the band performing for consideration to the conference committee. "There were 120 CD's submitted for consideration," Aglioti said. "Based upon these submissions the selections were made. We were the only middle school to be selected."

In addition to giving the Green band a chance to shine on a bigger stage, the conference was also a chance for Aglioti to gain ideas for future performances and songs.

Hearing different bands perform broadens the knowledge that band directors take back to the classroom. "These performances help other band directors with new ideas that they can take back to the classroom for their programs," said Aglioti. "Green has been lucky to have been selected three times for this honor, in 1995, 2003, and this year."

The band was also selected to performing at the Ohio Music Education Association in February in Columbus. This will be the first time Green has performed at the event and will share the spotlight with one other middle school. Their selection was based on a submitted CD reviewed blindly in the same fashion that was used for the University of Akron selection.

For the middle school students who comprise the band, it was quite an honor.

"It is pretty awesome, " said tuba player Jalen Peeples. "We are one of the best in the state. It has been a lot of hard work but is worth it. Our seventh graders now have some pretty big shoes to fill."

Anne Zivick plays the clarinet and is very proud of the band's work. She noted that it has been exciting to see how much the students have grown from the day they first received their music to the day of the performance at the OBC conference.

Zivick's twin sister Maria also plays the clarinet and spoke about the band's teamwork and camaraderie.

"I think it is really cool how we all work really well together. We are all friends so that definitely helps. We have all grown a lot, it is great to see everyone improve. We are nervous but the band directors are even more so," Maria Zivick said.

Trumpet player Erika Lovell admitted that she and her band mates are nervous, but also excited about an opportunity that very few middle school students receive. Their band director shares those sentiments and credited the band's supporters for their role in helping make the group's accomplishments possible.

"It is an honor and humbling experience," Aglioti said. "There are lots of good programs out there. "I am impressed by the support of the administration, teachers, parents, and students for our program.